The Invited: Banquet

     Today was just as yesterday was.  I awoke with a sense of diligence as I always had and started my day with the meager breakfast I had saved from the day before.  Cakes of wheat flour baked to a hardened flat loaf was all I had for this day, nevertheless I gave thanks to the Lord above and consumed it gladly.  People were already stirring around me and business as usual began as the day before and the day before that.  Buying and selling: it was all there was.  I sat among the stones and covered myself with cloth that reflected the soon to be hot sun.  I watched as usual as the people haggled and made boisterous motions with their whole bodies attempting to inflate the price of their goods.  My heart was listless without a certain hope that these around me had.  I had nothing to sell and no money to buy anything at all, instead I filled my imaginations with all sorts of wonderings, the what if's of life?
   Then after four hours of wondering I fell asleep and dreamt of things to come.  What was it the Prophets of old said?  Messiah was to come?   And change the world?  Sure!  Today just like the day before!  Nite had come and my stomach hurt.  I had eaten only one meal today, more than the day before though.  I said my prayers and lay down amongst the belongings that had come to identify me as the local beggar.  I slept.
     I awoke as I felt the gentle tap of a man's hand arousing me from my sleep.  As he came into focus I saw immediately that he was a  man of wealth.  Robes of scarlet and purple adorned him from head to foot.  Eyes that met mine were kind.  Speaking slowly so that I could comprehend him he asked me to come....come quickly as he had invited me this day to a banquet.  Me?  You want me, to come with you?  I could not believe my ears.  Surely this was a mistake.  Everyone always avoided me, knew me and knew that I would ask them for something, it was what I did.  
     I walked with him and never gave it a second thought.  Who was I to reject such a generous offer as this?  As I walked with him he talked to me like no other had in all of my life.  He told me of a great banquet that was to be given in my honor!  Mine? What had I done to deserve this?  Not just me but many like me.  I followed along and before long we had arrived at a great building with massive doors and one who stood outside gesturing for us to come in.  
    As was the custom I removed my sandals and felt a humbleness and also a fearfulness of what lay before me.  In all my life I had never been in a place like this. Only in my imaginations had this been possible.  Before my eyes a long and beautiful table spread with food from end to end and sitting at the table were many like me.  Clothes that were worn and dirty, old and young female and male all obviously poor like me.  What was going on?  The man that had invited me disappeared into a dark hallway.   We all sat transfixed at the bounty before us.  All wanting to rip into the food before us but waiting for someone to allow us to.  
     From the darkness came a man and into view and it was one that shone with a  brightness like the sun itself.  We all immediately fell to the floor in his presence. 
     Please, get up and don't be afraid, for this is in your honor and I am the one who invited you.  You are the faithful and you are my children, enter and eat for this is all in your honor. 
      This day be glad and of good cheer for you are now in my kingdom.